The Proteas Women will be looking to bounce back following a narrow defeat in East London to square the 3-match series in the second T20 International against England, at the Willowmoore Park Stadium in Benoni, Gauteng, on Wednesday, 27 November.
With both teams showcasing moments of brilliance in the series opener, an intriguing contest awaits fans in Benoni in the encounter getting underway at 18h00 CAT, with the action broadcast live on pay channel SuperSport and on the public broadcaster.
Eliz-Mari Marx’s career-best figures of three for 19 was the standout performance for South Africa in the opening game. Her disciplined stump-to-stump bowling dismissed key players, including England captain Heather Knight.
Despite her efforts, and an all-round display of 29* and two for 20 from Nadine de Klerk, the Proteas fell short of defending their total of 142/5, as England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt guided her team to victory with a commanding 59 off 54 balls (7 fours).
Reflecting on her performance, Marx credited her success to meticulous preparation and a focus on improving her bowling skills during her time away from international cricket.
“I take a lot of confidence from that performance. It’s always exciting to pick up big scalps and contribute to the team. it’s a tough exclusion not to go to the World Cup but it gave me time to work on the things that I wanted to work on for a long time.”
Proteas Women Opening T20 International Star, Eliz-Mari Marx
Speaking to the media, Marx highlighted the need for better consistency in both batting and bowling to help the Proteas Women level the series.
“If we look at the batting side, obviously losing wickets in clusters didn’t help us. Also, from a bowling point of view, tightening up a little bit in the boundary balls. Those are some of the small areas of improvement needed to level the series tomorrow.”
While the Proteas are unlikely to make significant changes to their line-up, the playing conditions at Willowmoore Park could influence team strategy. The pitch is expected to offer more bounce compared to Buffalo Park, potentially favouring pace bowlers. Marx noted, “We’ll assess the conditions during training and adapt accordingly.”
The absence of experienced campaigners like Ayabonga Khaka and Marizanne Kapp, who have been rested for this T20I series, adds to the challenge for the Proteas Women.
Meanwhile, Chloe Tryon, who arrived from the Women’s Big Bash in Australia just a day before the opening match, missed the first game, but is back in contention for the remainder of the series.
The seasoned players’ unavailability offers a valuable opportunity for the youngsters in the squad to step up and showcase their talent on the international stage. “Obviously, we lose experience.
“But it’s also time for some younger players to put up their hands and try and perform. It’s big shoes to fill but we try our best every game we take the field.”
Fixtures and Results for the Proteas Women’s Inbound Tour against England from 24 November to 15 December, 2024
T20I Series
1st T20I: South Africa lost to England by 4 wickets (4 balls rem., Buffalo Park Stadium, East London)
Wed, 27 November, 18h00: 2nd T20I: South Africa vs England (Willowmoore Park, Benoni)
Sat, 30 November, 18h00: 3rd T20I: South Africa vs England (SuperSport Park, Centurion)
IWC ODI Series
Wed, 4 December, 14h00: 1st IWC ODI: South Africa vs England (Kimberley Oval, Kimberley)
Sun, 8 December, 10h00: 2nd Black Day ODI: South Africa vs England (Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium, Durban)
Wed, 11 December, 14h00: 3rd IWC ODI: South Africa vs England (JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom)
Only Test
Sunday, 15 December to Wednesday, 18 December, 10h00: Only Test: South Africa vs England (Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein)
Proteas Women T20I Squad – Inbound Tour against England (2024/25)
Laura Wolvaardt (Captain) (Fidelity Titans)
Anneke Bosch (Fidelity Titans)
Tazmin Brits (DP World Lions)
Nadine de Klerk (World Sports Betting Western Province)
Annerie Dercksen (Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers)
Ayanda Hlubi (Hollywoodbets Dolphins)
Sinalo Jafta (DP World Lions)
Suné Luus (Fidelity Titans)
Eliz-Mari Marx (Fidelity Titans)
Nonkululeko Mlaba (Hollywoodbets Dolphins)
Tumi Sekhukhune (DP World Lions)
Nondumiso Shangase (Hollywoodbets Dolphins)
Chloé Tryon (DP World Lions)
Faye Tunnicliffe (World Sports Betting Western Province)
England Women IT20 squad
Heather Knight (captain)
Lauren Bell
Maia Bouchier
Alice Capsey
Charlie Dean
Sophia Dunkley
Sophie Ecclestone
Lauren Filer
Sarah Glenn
Bess Heath
Amy Jones
Freya Kemp
Nat Sciver-Brunt
Linsey Smith
Danni Wyatt-Hodge
Original Copy: Cricket South Africa, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: The Proteas Women will be looking to bounce back following a narrow defeat in East London to square the 3-match series in the second T20 International against England, at the Willowmoore Park Stadium in Benoni, Gauteng, on Wednesday, 27 November. Photo: Cricket SA
Photo 2 Caption: England women celebrated a well-earned win in the first encounter in East London after calling right and putting SA in to bat first. Photo: Cricket SA
Photo 3 Caption: Eliz-Mari Marx’s delivery to take England captain Heather Knight’s wicket was key on Sunday, SA will go all out for a win on Wednesday Photo: Cricket SA
(0 rating, 0 votes, rated)
Loading...
